Pre-Game: Penguins and Stars Notes & Lineup Buzz

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— The Stars have won two straight, outscoring their opponents 11-1. Dallas is seven points out of the playoffs for the final wildcard spot.

— The Penguins enter tonight’s action with the NHL’s best penalty kill unit (88.4%). The Stars have scored a power play goal in six straight games

— Penguins are 7-0-1 vs the Pacific Division this season and 10-2-1 vs the Western Conference

— Penguins are 7-1 in their last 8 games vs the Stars.

— Matt Niskanen enters tonight’s game on a six game points streak and has 13 points in his last 11 games

— Marc Andre Fleury is 6-0 with a 1.95 GAA and .926 save percentage in his career vs Dallas

— Sidney Crosby has not faced the Dallas Stars since 2010. Crosby has 4 goals in four career games vs Stars

— Chris Kunitz has 7 goals, 14 points and a plus-12 rating in 13 games vs Western Conference teams

— Sergei Gonchar in the first year of a two year, $10 million contract, has just 1 goal and 16 points, and a minus-6 rating in 45 games for Dallas. Gonchar will play a third pairing role tonight. Gonchar has 26 points (8 goals) and plus-12 rating in 43 career games vs Pittsburgh.